Removal of Teaching Subjects

Frazzled22

Hi all. I work in a school that had a horrible bully at the helm for years. My hours were going up and down and I was timetabled for everything and anything. Anyway, there was messing around with my CID and some financial issues and threatening behaviour and name-calling, a grievance was commenced. Principal went on sick leave. Of the two subjects I had interviewed for, i had been removed about three years ago from one. When the bully returned, my other subject (which is a very popular subject nationwide) was removed without discussion. Principal retired. My subject is still gone despite complaints from parents and prospective parents. Can a BOM remove a subject without assessing the whole picture? What would your advice be - stay or go? School has become calmer - not perfect but I've been left to my own devices. The concerns I have is, I've been in the school for some time and have fears of starting over again in new school community. However, without my subject, I'm being deskilled. Thanks for reading.

Im not fully qualified but one thing I'll say is that my business teacher retired at the end of my 2nd year and the new teacher that was hired was experienced from another school. She taught me business for JC and accounting for LC and as she was an experienced teacher it looked like she settled very fast and immediately got the students' respect. For what its worth, I don't think starting in a new school is the same as starting over completely.

2011abc

You must work in my school!It seems being a young to middle aged b-------s is the only acceptable candidate type nowadays. Mayhem being caused by sociopaths at the helm in every part of public sector . Countless extreme examples with in some cases (quite large) organisations close to collapse amid calls for scrapping.I know of a school where over half of staff(a two figure number -not a tiny school)left within two years of new principal's arrival .Having said that you might be better sticking it out especially if anywhere near retirement and/or are not sitting on large savings

Treppen

Only thing is to speak to the principal and see if there's an appetite for reintroducing it. Maybe offer it as a taster subject in TY.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145782#Comment_120145782

It wouldn't be the students I'd be worried about - new staff, new politics, new management. I'm in a place where, if I was teaching my subjects, I'd be very happy. You'll experience all kinds of stuff in staff rooms as you gain experience.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120145830#Comment_120145830

No where near retirement I'm afraid. As I said, the bully is gone and not perfect, it is a huge change - for me anyway. Management are approachable. I had three years of hell and my experience with the union is also questionable. I have a few months to think it over. I probably will apply for redeployment and see what the choices I've got.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120146840#Comment_120146840

I have that discussion several times. Parents and removal of the bullies friends from BOM, there might be a change.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120174123#Comment_120174123

You could offer it 'off timetable' to a few 5th years to get it going, but I could appreciate a principal not wanting to risk it if you might leave the school and leave the students high and dry.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120178997#Comment_120178997

I have it at fifth year. It hasn't been offered for past two years in first year.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120179254#Comment_120179254

I get you now. Only way I think is to offer it as TY taster, or try and get students/parents to put on pressure.

.... Oh and ensure all your class get H1s !

2011abc

Redeployment is a myth to give teachers hope :-( .3-5 counties a year with under 10% hit rate in those

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120181881#Comment_120181881

To teach it at TY would be insulting. Or in my school anyway.

Parents have tried. Enrollment down in September.

My results are usually better than the option subject opposite me.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188583#Comment_120188583

It does in this case. There are three types - voluntary, school closure or in my case, the removal of my subject.

am_zarathustra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188837#Comment_120188837

Why insulting?

A lot of students looking for a subject is a powerful motivator.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188924#Comment_120188924

There is a myth that TY is a year when nothing is done. I have TYs and still only doing the basics. They want to do nothing. If I had TYs, it would be a bridging class/timetable filler where students really wouldn't care as it wouldn't be contributing to their Leaving Cert. I hope that makes sense.

rainbowtrout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120189382#Comment_120189382

To be honest, it's up to you to make what you can of it in TY. If you see teaching your subject in TY as an insult, the students will pick up on that attitude. I took over Physics in my school about 10 years ago, when I took it over there were only 4 students doing it in fifth year. I used TY to showcase physics and encourage the students to pick it in fifth year. One quarter of the LC year this year are doing physics.

Currently I am teaching Computer Science in TY. We have had it in the school for two years now, I tell my TYs that it will give them an idea of what my subject is like for fifth year. After it's first year in TY, I got 19 students for fifth year. Use it to your advantage rather than saying it's an insult.

Frazzled22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120189852#Comment_120189852

My choice of words probably wasn't the greatest but I tried to explain as best I could. I suppose I'm just thinking of my current class who are unmotivated and uninterested. I have tried my best and in previous years, TY students have been happy enough with the things we did and all continuing to Leaving Cert. I am always enthusiastic about my subject - otherwise I wouldn't have made this thread. Since my employment in the school, students continue with my subject to Leaving Certificate, where in the past, there were a lot of people dropping it - so I do something right. My subject isn't one which you could take up in TY and sit for Leaving unless you were a very dedicated student. I have held back on the subject as people would be surprised and i could be identified.

I also teach CS and have them (TY) for a module. I tried with this cohort web design (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) but they had no interest where in previous years, they had. I got more out of my first years and that was only with Scratch.

Treppen

We offer choice of taster subjects in TY, so motivation is a lot better and class sizes are manageable.

It appears that you would have to take everyone in the year (as a rotating module possibly). Is that correct?